Rinne stops 22 shots, leads Predators to 3-0 win over Sabres

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Pekka Rinne made 22 saves to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

Taylor Beck, Craig Smith, and Mike Fisher scored for Nashville, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Rinne earned his third shutout of the season and 36th of his NHL career.

Matt Hackett made 40 saves for Buffalo, which has lost nine of 10.

Beck gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 14:52 of the second period.

Buffalo's Johan Larsson was whistled for a holding-the-stick penalty in the offensive zone. Matt Cullen won the ensuing faceoff back to Shea Weber at the right point, and he fired a slap shot. Beck skated through the slot and tipped the puck past Hackett for his second goal in three games.

Hackett had been stellar to that point, turning aside the first 26 shots he faced.

Smith made it 2-0 at 5:49 of the second.

Ryan Ellis drove down the right side and fired a slap shot from the top of the circle. Hackett made the stop, but the rebound came into the slot, where Smith scored his 23rd goal.

Ellis had a pair of assists.

Rinne wasn't tested often, but his best save came with 8:03 remaining when he denied Jerry D'Amigo on a breakaway.

D'Amigo missed the entire second period after taking a high stick from Smith to the face that drew blood late in the first. Smith was given a 4-minute penalty.

D'Amigo returned to the game in the third, wearing a full cage.

Rinne also denied Tyler Ennis on a late breakaway, and Cody Hodgson on a wrist shot from the left side.

Fisher scored at 15:01 of the third with a wrist shot from the high slot.

NOTES: Cullen has four assists in his last four games. ... Nashville LW Viktor Arvidsson made his NHL debut. ... Buffalo is 1-9-1 against the Central Division.